Arrest Made in Del Paso Blvd Homicide

On May 31, 2011, at 11:12 p.m., officers responded to Del Paso and Northgate Boulevard on a subject that was lying on the side of the road. Officers arrived finding a male, later identified as 29-year-old Adam Steinbach, dead at the scene from stab wounds. Shortly after officers arrived on the homicide, they got a call of a vehicle on fire near Academy Way and Kathleen Avenue. It was later determined that the vehicle that was set on fire belonged to the victim of the homicide.

Homicide detectives and Crime Scene Investigators responded. Based on the investigation, detectives think Steinbach was parked on the side of the road sleeping as he was in between residences at the time of the homicide. It is believed the suspect tried to burglarize Steinbach's vehicle which woke him up, and resulted in a confrontation. During the confrontation, Lawrence stabbed Steinbach resulting in his death. Detectives believe that Lawrence took the victim's vehicle and burned it in an attempt to conceal evidence from the homicide.

Detectives were able to obtain evidence which linked Dawayne Lawrence as the suspect. On June 7, 2011, the Career Criminal Apprehension Team located Lawrence in the 2400 block of Empress Way. Lawrence initially put a knife to his own throat but eventually surrendered to the officers. Lawrence was booked into jail on a parole violation pending review by the District Attorney's Office for filing homicide charges.

On June 14, 2011, the District Attorney's Office filed charges on Dawayne Lawrence and he was additionally charged with murder.